Puyol praises Deco as Barcelona legend assesses Flick’s squad: ‘We’re going to have a great season’

Puyol praises Deco as Barcelona legend assesses Flick’s squad: ‘We’re going to have a great season’ Carles Puyol has offered his assessment of Barcelona’s current project, with the former captain particularly impressed by the work done by Deco and the coaching staff. Speaking to Mundo Deportivo in his new role as an ambassador for Solgar, Puyol was asked to assess the team and made it clear that he likes what he has seen from the current squad. The legendary Barcelona captain pointed to both the quality of the squad and the mentality within Hansi Flick’s group, with the Catalan side making a strong start to the season . Puyol praises Deco and Barcelona’s squad Puyol believes the work done behind the scenes has helped create a team capable of competing for honours again.  Notably, his praise is not limited to the players, as he also reserved words for the sporting and coaching staff responsible for building the squad. “I think they’re looking very good. I believe Deco has done a great job, along with the coaching staff.   Puyol has praised Deco’s work as Barcelona’s sporting director. (Photo by Valerio Pennicino/Getty Images) “Whoever’s in charge has put together a very good squad and they’ve got off to a flying start. I also see a very united group, one that’s hungry for success,” he said. The former captain also highlighted the difficulty of maintaining standards after winning major trophies, particularly with Barcelona having already secured two La Liga titles in recent seasons. “Winning after winning is never easy. We’ve just won two La Liga titles and the team looks keen to keep making history; I think we’re going to have a great season.” Puyol explains how football has changed The conversation also turned towards the physical demands of modern football.  Puyol’s playing career came during a period when sports science was developing, but he has seen the level of monitoring increase dramatically since his retirement. “Times have changed – nowadays a lot of importance is placed on everything: diet, rest; players are monitored, they play with GPS… you have a huge amount of information. Puyol also talked about the changes football has seen since his retirement. (Photo by Hector Vivas/Getty Images) For Puyol, the technology is useful because it gives players and clubs more information about how the body is performing and where improvements can be made. “That’s the good thing about technology – it can help you perform better and be in better physical shape. Lastly, Puyol has long placed importance on recovery, and that approach has remained part of his life after football. He explained that the habits he developed as a player now serve a different purpose. “Yes, of course. I used to do it to improve my performance, and now I stick to the same habits.  “Not just for the sake of performance, but for my health, so I can do what I enjoy, which is playing sport, spending time with my daughters, and maintaining an active lifestyle at work. “If you’re not in good physical health, everything becomes more difficult,” he concluded.